Apparatus for sensing and cutting along the edge of a thickened portion of a traveling web



Dec. 24, 1968 J. D. BROCK 3,417,645

APPARATUS FOR SENSING AND CUTTING ALONG THE EDGE OF A THICKENED PORTIONOF A TRAVELING WEB Filed July 6, 1965 s Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR: 3cm:UBROQK BY {da ATTORNEYS Dec. 24, 1968 J. D. BROCK 3,417,645

APPARATUS FOR SENSING AND CUTTING ALONG THE EDGE OF A THICKENED PORTIONOF A TRAVELING WEB Filed July 6, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 Ihum/1M4MINA/mgwm/mm1/1/1mmIIIII/mII/I/Ir J l L l l l l l l l l l l lhg II'l l l l l I I I I Dec. 24, 1968 J. D. BROCK 3,417,645

APPARATUS FOR SENSING AND CUTTING ALONG THE EDGE OF A THICKENED PORTIONOF A TRAVELING WEB Filed July 6, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 z 75 iqmaammwINVENTOR.

JOHN B. BROCK ATTORNEYS 90L 900. I I 909;

United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for sensingthe edge of a thickened portion of a traveling web having both thickenedand unthickened portions. Movement of the edge sensing means in eitherdirection from a neutral position will actuate a switch to compensatefor variations in the transverse position of the traveling web.

This invention relates to apparatus for sensing the edge of a thickenedportion of a traveling web and more particularly to an apparatus forsensing and cutting along the edge of a thickened portion of a travelingweb.

In the manufacture of tufted carpets, rugs or similar items, a pre-wovenbase fabric in web form is employed and this web is tufted to produce athickened tufted web. Normally, the tufting operation does not cover theentire base fabric and a portion of untufted base material is left oneach longitudinal edge of the tufted web. These portions of untuftedbase material will vary in width along the longitudinal edges dependingupon deviations in the path of travel of the base material through thetufting machines and depending upon variances in the width of the basematerial as woven. These longitudinal portions of untufted base materialare cut or trimmed from the tufted web and the cut edges are usuallybound, as by overedge sewing, to produce a finished carpet havinguniform edges thereon.

Heretofore, these cutting operations have usually been done on atraveling tufted web entirely manually by an operator orsemi-automatically by an operator with the use of certain machines.These manual or semi-automatic cutting operations necessarily involved alarge number of operators, time consumption, inefficiency andcostliness. Also, the human element involved in these manual orsemi-automatic operations by an operator produced a tendency towardnon-uniformity in the finished carpets inasmuch as the operators skillalone was depended upon for cutting the tufted webs along the edge ofthe thickened or tufted portion of the traveling Webs.

With these conventional cutting operations, it is very difiicult toalways cut exactly along the edge of the thickened or tufted portion ofthe web inasmuch as it is very difficult to maintain the traveling webin a uniform path of travel without variations in the transverseposition of the web during its travel. This also was a necessarily slowoperation inasmuch as the operators were required to visually align thecutting mechanism with the edge of the thickened or tufted portion ofthe traveling web and therefore, the speed of travel of the webs wasnecessarily slow.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an apparatusfor sensing the edge of a thickened portion of a traveling web and tocompensate for variations in the transverse position of the travelingweb.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide apparatus forsensing and cutting along the edge of the thickened portion of atraveling web and to maintain Patented Dec. 24, 1968 the sensing meansand cutting means in alignment with the edge of the thickened portion ofthe traveling Web to compensate for variations in the transverseposition of the traveling web and to insure cutting of the web along theedge of the thickened portion thereof.

It has been found by this invention that the above objects may beaccomplished by providing means for sensing the edge of a thickenedportion of a traveling web comprising a sensing member adapted to engagethe edge of the thickened portion of a traveling web and adapted to movetransversely of the web between a first position and a second positionunder the influence of the edge of the thickened portion of the webdepending upon the transverse position of the web during its travel,first and second switch means operatively associated with the sensingmember and being actuated by the sensing member upon movement of thesensing member to the first position and to the second position, andmeans responsive to the actuation of either of the first and secondswitch means to compensate for variations in the transverse position ofthe traveling web.

To cut the traveling web along the edge of the thickened portionthereof, a cutting means is provided which is spaced from the sensingmember and maintained in alignment therewith in a longitudinal directionof travel of the web for cutting the web along the edge of the thickenedportion thereof after the web passes the sensing member.

In the use of the above described apparatus, it has been found by thisinvention that variations in the thickness of the thickened portion ofthe traveling web would cause the sensing member to lose contact withthe edge of this thickened portion if the sensing member is maintainedin a constant vertical position relative to the edge of the thickenedportion of the traveling web. This would result in failure of thesensing member to sense the edge of the thickened portion and failure ofthe cutting means to always cut the traveling web along the edge of thethickened portion.

It is, therefore, a further object of this invention to provideapparatus for maintaining the sensing member in a proper verticalposition to engage the edge of the thickened portion of the travelingweb regardless of variations in the thickness thereof.

This object may be accomplished by providing vertically movable meanscarrying the sensing member in horizontally spaced relationship theretoand in predetermined vertical relation thereto and to a supporting meansfor the traveling web and adapted to engage and be held in a relativevertical position on the thickened portion of the traveling webdepending upon the thickness thereof to maintain the sensing member in acorresponding vertical position to engage the edge of the thickenedportion of the traveling web regardless of variations in thicknessthereof and to prevent engagement of the sensing member with theunthickened portion of the web.

It is to be understood that while this invention has been describedabove and will be described hereinafter more specifically in terms of atufted carpet, that the apparatus of this invention and the functionthereof is equally as applicable to any type of traveling web having athickened portion therein and wherein it is desirable to cut or performsome other operation along the edge of this thickened portion of thetraveling web.

Some of the objects and advantages of the invention having been stated,other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceedswhen taken into conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which-FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of apparatus incorporating the featuresof the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantiallyalong the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is avertical sectional view taken substantially along the line33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantiallyalong the line 44 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is a schematic view of the electrical circuit for the apparatusshown in FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIGURE 1, theapparatus incorporating the features of the present invention includesstationary support members, generally indicated at 10, resting on thefioor and adapted to support a wound roll 11 of a tufted or other- Wiseformed continuous web 12 having a thickened portion 13 and unthickenedlongitudinally extending edge portions 14.

The web 12 is led from the roll 11 over a stationary bar 15 which issecured to and supported at each of its ends by identical stationaryframe portions 16 which are resting on the floor. The web 12 then passesunder a stationary tension roll 20 which is also secured at the oppositeends thereof to stationary frame portions 16.

The web is then passed over a first driven roll 21 which is journaled atits opposite ends for rotation in bearings 22 mounted on the stationaryframe portions 16. The web 12 then passes over a second driven sand roll24 which is journaled at its opposite ends in bearings 25 mounted on thestationary frame portions 16. A roll 26 is pivotedly mounted at itsopposite ends on frame portions 16 by levers 27 such that the weight ofthe roll 26 will hold it in engagement with the driven roll 24 so thatthe web 12 will be sandwiched therebetween for providing the properfrictional contact between the web 12 and the roll 24.

The driven rolls 21 and 24 are driven by a motor 30 secured to the floorand including a driven sprocket 31 thereon. The roll 21 includes asprocket 32 on one end thereof beyond the bearing 22 and the roll 24includes a sprocket 33 on one end thereof beyond the bearing 25. Anendless chain 34 passes around the driven sprocket 31 of the motor 30and around the sprockets 32 and 33 on the rolls 21 and 24 to drive theserolls in the direction of travel of the web 12, as may be seen by thearrows in FIGURE 1.

From the above apparatus, the web 12 is led to a winding mechanism,generally indicated at 40, comprising an idler roll 41 journaled forrotation at its opposite ends in stationary frame portions 42, a secondidler roll 43 journaled at its opposite ends in stationary frameportions 42; and two winding rolls 44 and 45 journaled at their oppositeends in bearings 46 and 47, respectively, mounted on stationary frameportions 42. The roll 44 is a driven roll and includes a sprocket 50mounted on an extension shaft 44' thereof and adapted to receive anendless drive chain 51 therearound which also passes around a sprocket52 on the driven roll 24 so that rotation of the driven roll 24 by themotor 30" will drive the roll 44. In operation, the web 12 passes underrolls 41 and 43 and is wound into a roll 55 between the rolls 44 and 45.

For sensing the edge of the thickened portion 13 of the traveling web12, a sensing means, generally indicated at 60, is disposed in thevicinity of the longitudinal edge of the traveling web 12 between thedriven rolls 21 and 24. In the drawings, there is illustrated a sensingmeans on each of the longitudinal edges of the traveling web 12 and itis to be understood that one or both of these sensing means may beutilized in the apparatus described herein according to needs of themanufacturer. Inasmuch as both of the sensing means and associatedmechanism are identical, except that the same are allochirally arranged,only one will be described in detail hereinafter and the other will bedenoted in the drawings by like reference numerals with the primenotation added.

The sensing means comprises a hollow housing 61 mounted for verticalmovement in a hollow sleeve member 62 by an arm member 63 secured to thehousing 61 and telescopingly received within the sleeve 62 so that thehousing 61 may move vertically up and down relative to the sleeve 62.The sleeve 62 is mounted on a horizontally movable carriage, generallyindicated at 65, which will be described in more detail hereinafter.

The housing 61 includes a vertically disposed elongate supporting member66 secured thereto and extending in the direction of the traveling web12. The supporting member 66 includes a roller 67 mounted thereon by apin 70 and is adapted to engage and ride on the thickened portion 13 ofthe traveling web 12 to hold the housing 61 in a relative verticalposition above the traveling web 12 depending upon the thickness of thethickened portion 13.

Then sensing means 60 further includes a generally vertically extendingelongate sensing member 71 passing through a slot in the lower portionof the housing 61 and pivoted to the housing 61 by a bolt 72 to becarried by the housing 61 in horizontally spaced relationship to thesupporting member 66. The sensing member 71 extends from the housing 61in the direction of the traveling web 12 and includes a web engagingportion 73 disposed at a predetermined, usually lower, vertical positionrelative to the supporting member 66 to engage the edge of the thickenedportion 13 of the traveling web 12. The web engaging portion 73 isdisposed above a supporting means, which, as illustrated in the drawing,is the roll 21, so that the web will be supported thereunder to preventsagging and thereby insure engagement of the portion 73 with the edge ofthe thickened portion of the web. The web engaging portion is shaped, asshown in FIGURE 2, to fit over the roll 21.

The sensing member 71 is adapted to move under the influence of the edgeof the thickened portion 13 of the traveling web 12 transversely of theweb 12 between a first position, illustrated by the dotted line 75 inFIGURE 4, to a second position, illustrated by the dotted line 76 inFIGURE 4, depending upon the transverse position of the web during itstravel. This movement of the sensing member 71 is restrained by bolts 77and 78 secured to the housing 61 and defining the above described firstand second positions, as may be seen in FIGURE 4. The sensing member 71is biased in the direction of the edge of the thickened portion of thetraveling web by a tension spring 73 having one end secured to thehousing 61 and the other end secured to the sensing member 71.

The sensing member 71 will be held in a corresponding vertical positionby the supporting member 66 and the housing 61, usually above theunthickened portion 14 of the web 12, to engage the edge of thethickened portion 13 of the web 12 regardless of variations in thethickness thereof and to prevent engagement of the sensing member withthe unthickened portion of the web inasmuch as the housing 61 will beraised and lowered by the supporting member 66 when the thickness of thethickened portion 13 of the web 12 increases or decreases.

The sensing means 60 further includes first and second switches 80 and81 which are normally open switches secured to the interior of thehousing 61 and including actuating members 82 and 83, respectively,which are adapted to be engaged by the sensing member 71 to close theswitches when the sensing member is moved to the above described firstand second positions, respectively, under the influence of the edge ofthe thickened portion 13 of the traveling web 12. The switch 80 isadapted to be actuated or closed by the member 71 upon movement thereofto the first position, represented by the line 75 in FIGURE 4. The otherswitch 81 is adapted to be actuated or closed by the member 71 uponmovement thereof to the second position, represented bythe line 76 inFIGURE 4. Neither of the switches 80 and 81 are actuated or closed whenthe sensing member is maintained substantially midway between the firstand second positions, as illustrated in solid lines in FIGURE 4.

The switches 80 and 81 are electrically connected, as will be more fullydescribed hereinafter, to a reversible motor 90 mounted on a shelf 89secured to one of the stationary frame portions 16. The switches 80 and81 are adapted to drive the reversible motor 90 in opposite directionsupon either of the switches being actuated by the sensing member 71, asdescribed above. The reversible motor 90 includes a driven sprocket 91adapted to receive an endless driving chain 92 therearound which alsopasses around a sprocket 93 on a threaded shaft 94. The threaded shaft94 is journaled for rotation at its opposite ends in the stationaryframe portions 16 and passes through an internally threaded hollowsleeve 95. The sleeve 95 is mounted on a plate forming a portion of thecarriage 65. The carriage 65 is mounted for horizontal movementtransversely of the traveling web 12 by two rollers 100 and two rollers101 riding on angle-shaped track members 102 and 103, respectively,which pass between and are secured to the stationary frame portions 16.

In operation, as one of the switches 80 or 81 is actuated or closed bythe sensing member 71, the motor 90 will be driven in either a clockwiseor counterclockwise direction to rotate the threaded shaft 94 to movethe sleeve 95 and thus the carriage 65 toward or away from the edge ofthe thickened portion 13 of the traveling web 12, as will be describedmore fully hereinafter.

Movement of the carriage 65 will carry with it the sensing means 60 andwhen the sensing member 71 has moved into alignment with the edge of thethickened portion 13 of the traveling web 12, the sensing member 71 willbe moved from engagement with the switches 80 or 81 to the middleposition, illustrated in solid lines in FIGURE 4, to allow the switches80 or 81 to open and stop the operation of the motor 90.

The identical sensing means 60 also includes the same type of apparatusdescribed above and this apparatus is represented in the drawing by likeprimed reference numerals and will not be described in detail herein.

For cutting the untufted or unthickened portion 14 of the traveling web12 along the edge of the tufted or thickened portion 13, there isprovided a cutting mechanism, generally indicated at 110. The cuttingmechanism 110 comprises a rotary cutting blade 111 mounted for rotationon a shaft 112 which is journalled in bearings 113 secured to thecarriage 65. The shaft 112 has a pulley 114 on the other end thereofwhich receives a driving belt 115 which also passes around a drivenpulley 116 on the driven shaft of a motor 117. The motor 117 is boltedto the carriage 65 by bolts 118, may be seen in FIGURE 2. The rotarycutting member 11 engages the periphery of and cooperates with a rotarysupporting member 119, secured to the carriage 65, for producing acutting action. The pressure of member 119 against cutting member 111may be adjusted, as by an adjusting screw 119a. The cutting member 111is also aligned with the sensing member 71 in the longitudinal directionof the web 12 and is adapted to cut the traveling web 12 along the edgeof the thickened portion 13 after the same has been sensed by thesensing member 71. The cutting means 110 is also movable with thecarriage 65 to align with the edge of the thickened portion 13 of thetraveling web 12 in the manner described above. The sensing mechanism60' also includes a cutting mechanism 110', as may be specifically seenin FIGURE 3, and the components of this cutting mechanism 110' arerepresented by like reference nurnerals with prime notations added andwill not be further described herein.

Following cutting of the traveling web 12, the web passes an overedgesewing machine, generally indicated at 120, which is mounted on thecarriage 65 in alignment with the cutting mechanism 110 and the sensingmember 71. The sewing machine 120 includes a pulley 121 for driving thesewing instrumentalities and which is adapted to receive a driving belt122 which also passes around a driven pulley 123 of a motor 124. Themotor 124 is bolted to the carriage 65 by bolts 125, as may be seen moreclearly in FIGURE 2. Thus, the overedge sewing mechanism 120 is mountedfor horizontal movement transversely of the traveling web 12 on thecarriage 65 and is adapted to bind the cut edges of the traveling web 12after the unthickened portion 14 has been cut therefrom by the cuttingmechanism 110 to form a finished carpet or the like. The carriage 65'also carries an identical sewinlg machine 120', the components of whichare indicated in the drawings by like reference numerals with primenotations added and will not be further described herein.

Referring now to the schematic wiring diagram of FIGURE 5, a masterswitch 130 is disposed in lines 131 and 132 which lead from anyconvenient source of electrical energy, such as a male plug 33 adaptedto be inserted in a female electrical outlet. The line 131 leads to thewinding 90a of motor 90 and to the winding 90a of motor 90'. A line 134leads from the winding 90a of motor 90 through the switch 80 of sensingmeans 60 and connects with the line 132 to complete the circuit when theswitch 80 is closed. A similar line 134 also leads from the winding 90aof the motor 90 to the switch 80' of the sensing means 60' and connectswith the line 132 to complete the circuit when the switch 80' is closed.

The line 131 also leads to the winding 90b of motor 90 and a line 135leads from the winding 90b through the switch 81 of the sensing means 60and connects with the line 132 to complete the circuit when the switch81 is closed. A similar line 135' leads from the winding 90b of themotor 90' through the switch 81' of the sensing means 60 and connectswith the line 132 to complete the circuit when the switch 81' is closed.

Thus, when the traveling web 12 moves to the left, as viewed in FIGURE3, the edge of the thickened portion 13 will move the sensing member 71to the first position, represented by the dotted line in FIGURE 4, toclose switch and thus complete a circuit through the winding a of motor90. This will cause the motor 90 to rotate in a counterclockwisedirection to rotate the threaded shaft 94 in a counterclockwisedirection to move the carriage 65 to the left, as viewed in FIGURE 3.This will move the sensing member 71 to a position midway between theabove described first and second positions to allow the switch 80 toopen breaking the circuit and stopping movement of the carriage 65. Thisaction will also align the cutting mechanism and the sewing machine withthe edge of the thickened portion 113 of the traveling web 12.

Like operations will occur to close each of the switches illustrated inFIGURE 5 to align both of the sensing means 60 and 60', the cuttingmechanism 110 and 110', and the sewing machine 120 and 120' with theedges of the thickened portion 13 of the traveling web 12 regardless ofvariations in transverse positions thereof.

Thus it may be seen, that this invention has provided an apparatus forsensing and cutting along the edge of a thickened portion of a travelingweb to maintain the sensing means and the cutting means in alignmentwith the edge of the thickened portion and to maintain the sensing meansin a proper vertical position to engage the edge of the thickenedportion of the traveling web regardless of variations in the thicknessthereof.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferredembodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not forpurposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in theclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for sensing the edge of a thickened portion of a travelingweb having both thickened and unthickened portions comprising:

(a) an edge sensing member adapted to engage the edge of the thickenedportion of the traveling web and adapted to move transversely of the webbetween a first position and a second position under the influence ofthe edge of the thickened portion of the web depending upon thetransverse position of the web during its travel;

(b) vertically movable thickness sensing means carrying said edgesensing member in horizontally spaced relationship at a predeterminedvertical position and adapted to engage the thickened portion of thetraveling web for sensing the thickness thereof and for maintaining saidedge sensing member in a relative vertical position above theunthickened portion of the web to engage the edge of the thickenedportion of the web regardless of variations in thickness thereof;

(c) first and second switch means operatively associated with said edgesensing member, said first switch means being actuated by said edgesensing member upon movement of said edge sensing memher to said firstposition, said second switch means being actuated by said edge sensingmember upon movement of said edge sensing member to said secondposition, and neither of said first and second switch means beingactuated when said edge sensing member is maintained substantiallymidway between said first and second positions; and

(d) means responsive to actuation of either of said first and secondswitch means to compensate for variations in the transverse position ofthe traveling web.

2. Apparatus for sensing the edge of a thickened portion of a travelingweb, as set forth in claim 1, in which said vertically movable thicknesssensing means comprises a housing mounted above the traveling web forvertical movement and having a vertically disposed elongate supportingmember secured thereto and extending therefrom in the direction of thetraveling web and adapted to engage and ride on the thickened portion ofthe traveling web to hold said housing and said edge sensing member in arelative vertical position above the web depending upon the thicknessthereof.

3. Apparatus for sensing the edge of a thickened portion of a travelingweb, as set forth in claim 2, in which said edge sensing membercomprises a generally vertically extending elongate member pivotedwithin said housing to be carried thereby and extending therefrom in thedirection of the traveling web to engage the edge of the thickenedportion of the traveling web and to be adapted to move transverselythereof under the influence of the edge.

4. Apparatus for sensing the edge of a thickened portion of a travelingweb having both thickened and unthickened portions comprising:

(a) vertically movable means comprising a housing mounted above thetraveling web for vertical movement and having a vertically disposedelongate supporting member secured thereto and extending therefrom inthe direction of the traveling web and adapted to engage and ride on thethickened portion of the traveling web to hold said housing in arelative vertical position above the traveling web depending upon thethickness thereof;

(b) a generally vertically extending elongate sensing member pivotedwithin and carried by said housing in horizontally spaced relationshipto said supporting member and extending therefrom in the direction ofthe traveling web at a predetermined vertical position relative to saidsupporting member to engage the edge of the thickened portion of thetraveling web above the unthickened portion thereof and being adapted tomove transversely of the web between a first position and a secondposition under the influence of the edge of the thickened portion of theweb depending upon the transverse position of the web during its travel,said sensing member being held in a corresponding vertical position bysaid vertically movable means to engage the edge of the thickenedportion of the web regardless of variations in thickness thereof;

(0) first and second switch means carried within said housing andadapted to be actuated by said sensing member, said first switch meansbeing actuated by said sensing member upon movement of said sensingmember to said first position, said second switch means being actuatedby said sensing member upon movement of said sensing member to saidsecond position, and neither of said first and second switch means beingactuated when said sensing member is maintained substantially midwaybetween said first and second positions; and

(d) means responsive to actuation of either of said first and secondswitch means to compensate for variations in the transverse position ofthe traveling web. I

5. Apparatus for sensing and cutting along the edge of a thickenedportion of a traveling web having both thickened and unthickenedportions comprising:

(a) An edge sensing member adapted to engage the edge of the thickenedportion of the traveling web and adapted to move transversely of the webbet-ween a first position and a second position under the influence ofthe edge of the thickened portion of the web depending upon thetransverse position of the web during its travel;

(b) vertically movable thickness sensing means carry.-

ing said edge sensing member in horizontally spaced relationship at apredetermined vertical position and adapted to engage the thickenedportion of the web for sensing the thickness thereof and for maintainingsaid edge sensing member in a relative vertical position above theunthickened portion of the web to engage the edge of the thickenedportion of the web regardless of the variations in thickness thereof;

(c) first and second switch means operatively associated with said edgesensing member, said first switch means being actuated by said edgesensing member upon movement of said edge sensing member to said firstposition, said second switch means being actuated by said edge sensingmember upon movement of said edge sensing member to said secondposition, and neither of said first and second switch means beingactuated when said edge sensing member is maintained substantiallymidway between said first and second positions;

((1) cutting means spaced from said edge sensing mem' her and alignedtherewith in the longitudinal direc' tion of travel of the web forcutting the web along the edge of the thickened portion thereof afterthe web passes said edge sensing member;

(e) means responsive to actuation of either of said first and secondswitch means to maintain said edge sensing member and said cutting meansin alignment with the edge of the thickened portion of the traveling webto compensate for variation in the transverse position of the travelingweb and to insure cutting of the web along the edge of the thickenedportion thereof.

6. Apparatus for sensing and cutting along the edge of a thickenedportion of a traveling web, as set forth in claim 5, in which saidvertically movable thickness sensing means comprises a housing mountedabove the traveling web for vertical movement and having a verticallydisposed elongate supporting member seoured thereto and extendingtherefrom in the direction of the traveling web and adapted to engageand ride on the thickened portion of the traveling web to hold saidhousing and said edge web depending upon the thickeness thereof.

7. Apparatus for sensing and cutting along the edge of a thickenedportion of a traveling web, as set forth in claim 6, in which said edgesensing member comprises a generally vertically extending elongatemember pivoted within said housing to be carried thereby and extendingtherefrom in the direction of the traveling web to engage the edge ofthe thickened portion of the traveling web and to be adapted to movetransversely thereof under the influence of the edge.

8. Apparatus for sensing and cutting along the edge of a thickenedportion of a traveling web having both thickened and unthickenedportions comprising:

(a) vertically movable means comprising a housing mounted above thetraveling Web for vertical movement and having a vertically disposedelongate supporting member secured thereto and extending therefrom inthe direction of the traveling web and adapted to engage and ride on thethickened portion of the traveling web to hold said housing in arelative vertical position above the traveling web depending upon thethickness thereof;

(b) a generally vertically extending elongate sensing member pivotedwithin and carried by said housing in horizontally spaced relationshipto said supporting member and extending therefrom in the direction ofthe traveling web at a predetermined vertical position relative to saidsupporting member to engage the edge of the thickened portion of thetraveling web above the unthickened portion thereof and being adapted tomove transversely of the web between a first position and a secondposition under the influence of the edge of the thickened portion of theweb depending upon the transverse position of the Web during its travel,said sensing member being held in a corresponding vertical position bysaid vertically movable means to engage the edge of the thickenedportion of the web regardless of variations in thickness thereof;

() first and second switch means carried within said housing and adaptedto be actuated by said sensing member, said first switch means beingactuated by said sensing member upon movement of said sensing member tosaid first position, said second switch means being actuated by saidsensing member upon movement of said sensing member to said secondposition, and neither of said first and second switch means beingactuated when said sensing member is maintained substantially mid-waybetween said first and second positions;

(d) cutting means spaced from said sensing member and aligned therewithin the longitudinal direction of travel of the web for cutting the webalong the edge of the thickened portion thereof after the web passessaid sensing member; and

(e) means responsive to actuation of either of said first and secondswitch means to move said sensing member and said cutting means inalignment with the edge of the thickened portion of the traveling web tocompensate for variation in the transverse position of the traveling weband to insure cutting of the web along the edge of the thickened portionthereof.

9. Apparatus for sensing and cutting along the edge of a thickenedportion of a traveling web, as set forth in claim 8, in which saidhousing is mounted for vertical movement on a horizontally movablecarriage which is adapted to move transversely of the traveling web,said cutting means is mounted on said carriage for movement therewith,and said means responsive to actuation of said first and second switchmeans being adapted to move said carriage transversely of the travelingweb to align said sensing member and said cutting means with the edge ofthe thickened portion of the traveling web to com pensate for variationsin the transverse position thereof.

10. Apparatus for sensing and cutting along the edge of a thickenedportion of a traveling web having both thickened and unthickenedportions comprising:

(a) a horizontally movable carriage adapted to move transversely of thetraveling web in the vicinity of the edge of the thickened portion ofthe traveling web;

(b) vertically movable means comprising a housing mounted on saidcarriage for vertical movement relative thereto and for horizontalmovement therewith above the traveling web and having a verticallydisposed elongate supporting member secured thereto and extendingtherefrom in the direction of the traveling web and adapted to engageand ride on the thickened portion of the traveling web to hold saidhousing in a relative vertical position above the traveling webdepending upon the thickness thereof;

(c) a generally vertically extending elongate sensing member pivotedwithin and carried by said housing in horizontally spaced relationshipto said supporting member and extending therefrom in the direction ofthe traveling web at a predetermined vertical position relative to saidsupporting member to engage the edge of the thickened portion of thetraveling Web above the unthickened portion thereof and being adapted tomove transversely of the web between a first position and a secondposition under the influence of the edge of the thickened portion of theweb depending upon the transverse position of the web during its travel,said sensing member being held in a corresponding vertical position bysaid vertically movable means to engage the edge of the thickenedportion of the web regardless of variations in thickness thereof;

(d) a supporting means disposed below the traveling web and said sensingmember to prevent the traveling web from sagging below said sensingmember to insure engagement of said sensing member with the edge of thethickened portion of the traveling web;

(e) first and second switch means carried within said housing andadapted to be actuated by said sensing member, said first switch meansbeing actuated by said sensing member upon movement of said sensingmember to said first position, said second switch means being actuatedby said sensing member upon movement of said sensing member to saidsecond position, and neither of said first and second switch means beingactuated when said sensing member is maintained substantially midwaybetween said first and second positions;

(f) cutting means mounted on said carriage for horizontal movementtherewith and spaced from said sensing member aligned therewith in thelongitudinal direction of travel of the web for cutting the web alongthe edge of the thickened portion thereof after the web passes saidsensing means; and

(g) means responsive to actuation of either of said first and secondswitch means to move said carriage transversely of the traveling web toalign said sensing member and said cutting means with the edge of thethick ened portion of the traveling web to compensate for variations inthe transverse position of the traveling web and to insure cutting ofthe web along the edge of the thickened portion thereof, said meanscomprising an internally threaded hollow collar mo unted on saidcarriage, a threaded shaft passing through said collar and adapted torotate in a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction to movesaid collar and said carriage in directions toward said traveling weband away from said traveling web transversely of the traveling web, areversible motor operatively connected with said threaded shaft and withsaid first and second switches and adapted to drive said threaded shaftin either direction depending 1 1 l 2 upon which of said first andsecond switch means is 3,073,197 1/1963 Gowin 83368 actuated. 3,156,42611/1964 Brock 83-368 X References Cited ANDREW R. IUHASZ, P E UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 5 3,244,418 4/1966 Henderson 271 s9 2,910,122 10/1959Anderson et a1 83-368 242--57.1; 271-59

